With February being Women in Horror Month, it’s the perfect time for you to head over to the site Comics for Sinners, where you’ll find my overview of Skywald Publishing’s 1972 answer to Vampirella, the supernatural femme fatale Demona the witch, who appeared in a single issue of the horror-comic magazine Psycho. It’s the latest entry in my occasional column, “It Came From the Bad-Girl Archives,” where I take a look at out-of-print comics that featured kick-ass heroines who usually wore little in the form of a costume beyond thongs and cleavage-baring tops. (I did say the site was called Comics for Sinners, didn’t I?)
Written by the late Gardner Fox (Flash, Green Lantern, Justice League of America) and featuring one of the few comic-art jobs by Steve Englehart (legendary writer of Avengers, Captain America, and Green Lantern Corps)—with assistance by inker Vince Colletta (Dazzler, The Mighty Thor)—Demona was a knockoff of Vampirella who never made it past her first and only comics appearance. Go visit C4S to see what I’m talking about.
And if you’re interested in checking out my other “It Came From the Bad-Girl Archives” columns, Comics for Sinners has been gracious enough to asset up this page that collects them all in one handy location.
Speaking of heroines inspired by Vampirella, have you met Lorelei, StarWarp Concepts’ resident soul-stealing succubus? Making her comics debut in 1993, Lori is SWC’s first leading lady of horror, and currently stars in two critically acclaimed titles:
Lorelei: Sects and the City is a Mature Readers graphic novel in which Lori battles a cult of Elder God worshipers attempting to unleash hell on Earth. Basically a love letter to 1970s horror comics like Vampirella, Tomb of Dracula, and Ghost Rider, it’s written by yours truly, Steven A. Roman (X-Men: The Chaos Engine Trilogy), and illustrated by Eliseu Gouveia (Stargate Universe, Lady Death), Steve Geiger (Web of Spider-Man, Incredible Hulk), and Neil Vokes (Eagle, Fright Night). It also features a cover by legendary artist Esteban Maroto (Vampirella, Zatanna, Lady Rawhide), a frontispiece by original Vampirella artist Tom Sutton (Ghost Rider, Man-Thing, Werewolf by Night), and a one-page history of succubi illustrated by Ernie Colon (Vampirella, The Grim Ghost).
“I can honestly say that I enjoyed the hell out of this book…. The art is solid, the story is full of lots of things that make the horror genre so great, and the overall quality of the book is top notch.”—Die-Screaming
“Kudos to Roman for capturing the essence of 1970s fare like Vampirella. Filled with ghouls, chicks, and some strong artwork, this is a title that might’ve piqued Hammer Studios’ interest back in the day.”—Dread Central
Lorelei Presents: House Macabre: It’s Lori’s first outing as the hostess of a horror comic anthology, in this one-shot special that contains four tales of horror, behind eye-catching cover art by fan-favorite artist Louis Small Jr. (Vampirella, Vampirella Strikes).
- “The Old, Dark Manse” is written by me and illustrated by Uriel Caton (JSA Annual, The Ex-Mutants, Heartstopper: The Legend of La Bella Tenebrosa) and “Chainsaw” Chuck Majewski (Harvey Kurtzman’s New Two-Fisted Tales), and has Lori welcoming readers to this special.
- “All in Color for a Crime” is another tale from me, with art by Lou Manna (T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents, Young All-Stars). Two comic book collectors clash over a rare back issue—and only one of them will be adding it to their long boxes!
- “The Basilisk,” from me and artist John Pierard (Graphic Classics: Horror Classics, My Teacher Fried My Brains), is a “Lori’s Feary Tale” that examines the history of a supernatural creature that’s a cross between a deadly snake and a…chicken?!
- Wrapping up the special is “Requiem for Bravo 6,” by New York Times bestselling author and comic writer Dwight Jon Zimmerman (She-Hulk, Steve McQueen: Full-Throttle Cool) and artist Juan Carlos Abraldes Rendo. A special-ops team goes on a life-or-death mission…but will they be prepared for what awaits them at mission’s end?
“This is like a cross between Elvira and House of Mystery, where you’ve got a very sexy hostess who loves the Macabre and tells you stories that are supposed to chill and thrill you…. This whole book is such a pleasant surprise, [and] something that should be sought out by everyone.”—Reading With a Flight Ring
“Any fans of the old-fashioned horror anthology comics (Eerie, Creepy, Tales From the Crypt, etc.) is gonna want to take a look at this one-shot from StarWarp Concepts…. If campy horror fun is your thing, this should be a hit for you.”—The Pullbox
Both titles are available in print and digital formats, so visit their respective product pages for ordering information, as well as sample pages.
